History of ORISSA

The history of Orissa spans over 3,500
years and it is atypical from the history of
the northern plains in many ways.[citation
needed] Many of the common
generalizations that are made about
Indian history doesn't apply to the Oriya
region. The word Oriya is an anglicised
version of oṛiā, which itself is a modern
name for the Odra or Udra tribes that
inhabited the central belt of modern
Orissa.[citation needed] Orissa has been
the home of the Kalinga, Utkal, Kantara/
Mahakantara and Kosal (South) that
played a particularly prominent role in the
region's history and one of the earliest
references to the ancient Kalingas
appears in the writings of Vedic
chroniclers.[citation needed] In the 6th
century, Vedic Sutrakara Baudhayana
mentions Kalinga as being beyond the
Vedic fold, indicating that Brahminical
influences had not yet touched the land.
[ citation needed] Unlike some other parts
of India, tribal customs and traditions
played a significant role in shaping
political structures and cultural practices
right up to the 15th century when
brahminical influences triumphed over
competing traditions and caste
differentiation began to inhibit social
mobility and erode what had survived of
the ancient republican tradition.[citation
needed]
Ancient history
Present Orissa can be classified into part
of three different kingdoms in ancient
time. Kalinga, Kantara or Mahakantara
and South Kosala were the kingdoms
during Mahabharata/Ramayana where
Kalinga existed in the eastern part of
present Orissa, South Kosala existed in
the North Western part of present Orissa
and Kantara (Mahakantara) existed in
the South Western part of present Orissa.
Cuttack-Bhubaneswar and Kalinga Nagar
(North Andhra Pradesh) were the central
places for Kalinga kingdom, whereas
Sripur/Bilaspur was center for South Kosal
and Asurgarh region in Kalahandi was
center for Kantara/Mahakantara. As per
Mahabharata, Kalinga fought war in the
side of Kauraba and Sahadeb had
vanished in Kantara, which was known as
a kingdom consisting of dense forest
during that period, large part of KBK in
Orissa and Bastar of Chhattisgarh were
known as Kantara. Kosal was divided as
North and South Kosala where Kusha,
younger son of lord Sri Rama, got the
South Kosala consiting present days
North Chhattisgarh and North West
Orissa.
Kalinga
In ancient times, Orissa was known as
Kalinga. It was a major seafaring nation
that controlled and traded with most of
the sea routes in the Bay of Bengal. For
several centuries, a substantial part of
South Asia & Southeast Asia was under
its cultural influence. The temple at
Angkor Wat is a fine example of Orissan-
influenced Indian architecture. Some
parts of Southern and South Eastern Asia
such as Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Java,
Sumatra, Bali, Vietnam and Thailand
were colonized by people from Orissa. In
Malaysia, Indians are still referred as
Klings because of this. Many illustrious Sri
Lankan kings such as Nisanka Malla and
Parakarama Bahu claim Kalinga origin.
The king who destroyed the Sinhalese
Buddhist control of Northern Sri Lanka
and established a Hindu Kingdom in
Jaffna was known as Kalinga Magha. One
theory holds that the name of the country
"Siam" for Thailand is derived from Oriya/
Sanskrit Shyamadesha. The Angkor Wat
in Cambodia is Orissan, with local
variations. Bali in Indonesia still retains
its Orissan-influenced Hindu heritage.
Dilip Rule
Mahapadmananda of Nanda Dynasty
who ascended the throne of Magadha in
362 BC conquered and instituted Kalinga
to his extensive empire. Although Kalinga
lost her independence, she became
economically prosperous under the
Nanda rule. Mahapadmananda
undertook irrigation projects to eradicate
famine condition in Kalinga. The pre-
Mauryan black polished potteries and
punch-marked coins having four symbols
found in plenty from Asurgarh in
Kalahandi district and Sonepur district
indicate the flourishing economic
condition during the time of the Nanda
rule.
After Mahapadmananda his eight sons
ruled one after the other and the last
Nanda king was overthrown by
Chandragupta Maurya who found the
Maurya empire in Magadha. During the
time of Chandragupta's rebellion against
the last Nanda king, Kalinga declared
herself independent and tried to build her
strength as an overseas power.
Kalinga War and Mauryan Empire
A major turning point in world history took
place around 261 BC when the Mauryan
emperor Asoka invaded Kalinga, which is
famously known as Kalinga War. Ashoka's
military campaign against Kalinga was
one of the bloodiest in Mauryan history
on account of the fearless and heroic
resistance offered by the people of
Kalinga to the mighty armies of the
expanding Mauryan empire. Though
Asoka succeeded in occupying Kalinga,
he could not bear the horrendous
slaughter caused by the war and
therefore took up the path of non-
violence and became a follower of
Buddhism. Later on, Asoka was
instrumental in spreading Buddhist
philosophy all over Asia.
Perhaps on the account of Kalinga's
unexpected bravery, emperor Ashoka was
compelled to issue two edicts specifically
calling for a just and benign
administration in Kalinga. Kalinga
became one of the administrative
provisions in the empire of Magadha with
headquarters of a Kumara (Viceroy)
located at Tosali. The second
headquarters was at Samapa where a
high executive officer called
Rajavachanika was stationed. Tosali was
also the headquarters of the highest
judiciary authority of the province.
Asoka aimed at a benevolent
administration with a well organized
bureaucracy and vigorously worked for the
consolidation of the Maurya rule in the
newly conquered province. Buddhism
spread over Kalinga under his patronage
and became the State religion while the
art of stonemasonry developed to a great
extent. Edicts were engraved on the
Dhauli and Jaugada (this is a fort made of
Jau by the King of Utkal. Situated beside
the Village Nuagaon in Ganjam District,
Orissa is about 40 km away from Silk City
Berhampur) rocks to inculcate his
administration and religious principles to
the people. Asoka died in 232 BC and the
Maurya empire lasted up to 185 BC.
Tel River Civilization and Mahakantara
Main article: History of Kalahandi
The Tel river civilization existed in the
Kalahandi, Balangir and Koraput (KBK)
region, and has recently been explored.
[1] Archeological discoveries in the Tel
Valley suggest a well civilized, urbanized,
cultured people inhabited on this land
mass around 2000 years ago[2] and
Asurgarh, Kalahandi was its capital.
Kalahandi along with Koraput and Bastar
was part of Kantara referred in
Ramayana and Mahabharata.[3] In 4th
century BC, this region was known as
Indravana from where precious gem-
stones and diamond were collected for
the imperial Maurya treasury.[4] During
the period of Ashoka, the region of
Kalahandi, Koraput and Bastar region was
called Atavi Land.[5] This land was
unconquered, according to the Ashokan
record.[6] In the beginning of theChristian
era it may have been known as
Mahavana.[7] In the 4th century AD,
Vyaghraraja ruled over Mahakantara,
comprising Kalahandi, undivided Koraput
and the Bastar region.[8]Asurgarh was
capital of Mahakantara.[9]
Mahameghavahana Kharavela
Main Article Kharavela
In the early past of the 1st century BC,
Kalinga became independent under the
Chedi Chief Mahameghavana. The third
ruler of this dynasty was Kharavela who
flourished during the second half of the
1st century BC. The Hatigumpha
inscription in Udayagiri near
Bhubaneswar furnishes detailed
accounts about the life and activities of
Kharavela from his boyhood to his 13th
reigning year.
Reigning year 1-5 : In the first year of his
coronation he repaired the gates and
ramparts of his capital Kalinganagari
which had been damaged by cyclone.
In the second year he invaded the
territory of the Satavahana king
Satakarni I and marching up to the river
Krishna stormed the city of Asika. In the
3rd year of his reign he organized
various performances of dance and
music and delighted the people of
Kalinganagari. In the fourth year he
again invaded the Satavahana kingdom
and extended his political supremacy
over the region. In the fifth year he is
known to have renovated the aqueduct
that was originally excavated three
hundred years back by
Mahapadmananda.
Reigning year 6-10 : In the sixth year he
remitted taxes and gave benevolences
both in urban and rural areas of his
kingdom. The account of his seventh
year is not known. But that year his
chief queen-“The Queen of the
Diamond Palace” gave birth to a son. In
his eighth regnal year he led a military
expedition against Rajagriha. By that
time the Indo-Greeks who were in
possession of Mathura were advancing
towards Pataliputra but getting the
news of the triumph of Kharavela at
Rajagriha the Yavana king had to
retreat to Mathura. Kharavela pursued
the Indo-Greeks and purged them out
of Mathura which was an important
seat of Jain religion and culture. In
commemoration of this achievement
he built a victory palace in Kalinga at a
cost of thirty-eight hundred thousand
penas during the ninth year of his reign.
In the tenth regnal year he again
invaded northern India the account of
which is not clearly known.
Reigning year 11-13 : In the eleventh
year of his reign Kharavela defeated the
Tamil confederacy which was in
existence thirteen hundred years
before his time. In the twelfth year he
invaded northern India for the third
time and advanced as far as
Uttarapatha, “north-western part of
India”. On his return he terrorized
Maghadha. Brihaspati Mitra, the king of
Magadha surrendered and Kharavela
brought from Magadha the statue of
Kalinga Jina as trophy of his victory
along with rich treasures. Kalinga Jina
was the statue of Rishabhanatha,
which had been taken away from
Kalinga by Mahapadmananda three
hundred years back and its restoration
was considered to be a great
achievement of Kharavela. In his
thirteenth reigning year Kharavela
excavated a number of cave-dwellings
in the Kumari hills for the Jain monks
and bestowed endowments for them.
Jainism greatly flourished in Kalinga
under the sincere patronage of
Kharavela. He was also extending
liberal patronage towards other
religious communities and earned
great reputation as the worshiper of all
religious orders and the repairers of all
religious shrines. It is he who was built
the superb monastic caves at Udayagiri
and Khandagiri.
The Hatigumpha inscription records the
activities of Kharavela up to his thirteenth
regnal year after which nothing is known
about him. He was probably succeeded
by his son Kudepasiri. The
Mahameghavahana dynasty continued to
rule over Kalinga and Mahishaka up to
the 1st century AD.
Subsequently, the kingdom was ruled
under various monarchs, such as
Samudragupta and Sasanka. It also was
a part of Harsha's empire. In 795 AD, the
king Yayati united Kalinga, Kosala and
Utkala into a single empire. He also
rebuilt the famous Jagannath temple at
Puri. King Narasimha Dev is reputed to
have built the magnificent Sun Temple in
Konark. Although now largely in ruins, the
temple may have rivaled the Taj Mahal in
splendour.
Major Dynasties after Kharavela
The Satavahanas
The Guptas
The Matharas
The Eastern Gangas
The Suryavamsi
The Nalas
The Parvatadvarakas
The family of Sura
The Vigrahas and the Mudgalas
The Durjayas
The Sailodbhavas
The Bhaumakaras
The Mandala States
The Nagas of Karonda Mandala and
Kalahandi
The Bhanjas of Khinjali Mandala
Bhanjas of Khijjinga Mandala
The Sulkis of Kodala Mandala
Tungas of Yamagartta Mandala
The Nandodbhavas of Airavatta
Mandala
The Mayuras of Banei Mandala
The Gangas of Svetaka Mandala
The Sarabhapuriyas
The Somavamsis
1568 AD
In the history of Orissa the year 1568 is
regarded as a dividing line between the
glorious epochs of the past and the
gloomy periods which followed thereafter.
Through centuries from ancient times,
Orissa maintained her political vitality
with several powerful ruling kings at
different periods, and she developed a
political distinction of her own within the
wider syndromes of Indian civilization. In
the fields of art, architecture, religion,
philosophy and literature, ancient Orissa
made notable achievements and left for
the future rich legacies of undying
character. Orissa’s political strength was
so spectacular even so late as 15th
century AD that during the rule of
Kapilendradeva (1435–1466 AD) the Oriya
armies threatened and attacked most
powerful kingdom in the neighbouring
regions as well as in the far south and
established political supremacy over a
vast territory outside the limits of
geographical Orissa. Kapilendra ruled
from Ganges in the north-east to Arcot in
the south. His successors
Purushottamdeva and Prataprudradeva,
though not very powerful, retained their
hold over an extensive territory, and
during the rule of the latter from 1497 to
1541 AD his kingdom extended from the
Hooghly and Midnapore districts of West
Bengal to the Guntur district of Andhra
Pradesh.
Political decline came soon thereafter all
too suddenly. Internal turmoil,
internecine wars and external invasions
worked simultaneously to bring about the
downfall of medieval Orissa. The Muslim
ruler of Bengal, Suleiman Karrani with the
help of his famous general Kalapahad
succeeded in conquering the land in
1568 by defeating the last Orissa king
Mukundadeva, ending thereby the
independence of this powerful Hindu
kingdom which had resisted Muslim
invasions successfully for three centuries.
Orissa was one of the last of the Indian
territories to succumb to the Muslim
invasion though most part of the sub-
continent had come under the Muslim
rule much earlier.
Mughal Rule : The Mughals conquered
Bengal and Oda in 1576.
Maratha Rule: Orissa was
subsequently ceded to the Marathas in
1751.
British period
In 1803, the British under the British East
India Company occupied Orissa after the
Second Anglo-Maratha War. In 1823,
Orissa was divided into the three districts
of Cuttack, Balasore and Puri, and a
number of native tributary states. Orissa
was administed as part of the Bengal
Presidency. Following famine and floods
in 1866, large scale irrigation projects
were undertaken in the last half of the
19th century. The coastal section was
separated from Bengal and made into the
Province of Bihar and Orissa in 1912, in
response to local agitation for a separate
state for Oriya-speaking peoples. In 1936,
Bihar and Orissa separated into separate
provinces.
Post independence
Following Indian independence, the area
of Orissa was almost doubled and the
population was increased by a third by
the addition of 24 former princely states.
In 1950, Orissa became a constituent
state in the Union of India.
Prominent people of modern Orissa
Madhusudan Das
Gopabandhu Das
Acharya Harihar Das
Subhas Chandra Bose
Krushna Chandra Gajapati
Nabakrusna Chaudhary
Gopabandhu Chaudhary
Harekrushna Mahatab
Sadhu Charan Mahanti
Malati Chaudhary
Harmohan Patnaik
Biju Patnaik
Biren Mitra
Nityanand Kanungo
Rajendra Narayan Singh Deo
Janaki Ballabh Patnaik
Chintamani Panigrahi
Lokanath Mishra
Ranganath Mishra
Gopal Ballabh Patnaik
Navin Patnaik
Kanhu Charan Lenka
Niranjan Patnaik
Ancient names of Orissa
Kalinga
Utkal
Kantara
Utkalraata
Udra
Odra
Odrabisha
Oda
Odrarashtra
Mahakantara
Kamala Mandala
Trikalinga
Kangoda
Toshali
Chedi (Mahabharata)
Matsa (Mahabharata)
In the Mahabharata, the Pandavas spent
the one year as 'Agyantavasa' as servants
of King Virata, ruler of Matsa.
See also
Historic sites in Orissa
Maritime history of Orissa
History of Kalahandi
Jayadeva
Kharavela
Hatigumpha inscription
References
1. ^ "A tale of Tel valley civilization
uncovered"
. The New Indian Express. Retrieved
2010-10-21.
2. ^ P. Mohanty, B. Mishra, Op.
Cit,2000; C.R. Mishra, S. Pradhan,
op. cit. 1989-1990, Infra, F.N.79
3. ^ Mahabharata Sabhaparva, 31,
sloka-11-16
4. ^ Proceedings, Indian History
Congress, 1947, 10th session, 178
5. ^ H. C. Rayachoudhury, Political
History of Ancient India, 538
6. ^ B. Mishra, op.cit., 2003-2004
7. ^ N. K. Sahu, 1964, op. cit.
8. ^ N. K. Sahu, op.cit., 1964, p.200
9. ^ ibid.7